Remembering Britain's worst peacetime rail disaster

[John Ashworth]

Silent tribute to mark 60th anniversary of Britain's worst peacetime rail disaster (Independent)

A busy station came to a brief halt during rush-hour today for a minute's silence to mark the 60th anniversary of Britain's worst peacetime rail disaster.

On October 8 1952, 112 people were killed in a three-train crash at Harrow & Wealdstone station in north west London.

Today, at the exact time of the disaster - 8.19am - the minute's silence, organised by Harrow Council, was held as part of a commemorative service at the station.

Survivors return to Harrow & Wealdstone train crash horror scene to mark 60th anniversary (Harrow Times)

Survivors and relatives of those killed in the worst peace-time rail crash in the UK 60 years ago held a remembrance service at Harrow & Wealdstone Station this morning.

Approximately 150 people gathered on the platform of the station in High Street to lay wreathes and mark the anniversary of the crash at just after 8am on October 8, 1952.

Harrow station remembers Britain's worst peacetime rail disaster (London Evening Standard)

- Harrow & Wealdstone station falls silent
- 112 people died in crash 60 years ago

[M. Hardy-Randall]

A truly tragic event, but one major benefit came out of this disaster. Prior to this accident the British ambulance service operated on a 'scoop and run' basis to the nearest hospital. It was noticed that the American Air Force staff helping at the accident site were treating the survivors on site before sending them to hospital and that many more of the casualties survived the accident, than those carried by the British. The system of stabilising the patient was brought in to be operated by all ambulance staff attending accidents after that.

From a railway standpoint it was this accident that forced the installation of the automatic audio warning system on the British network. Something that had been delayed due to cost.

[John Ashworth]

Thanks, Malcolm. I didn't know about the ambulance thing. Very interesting.